Adjustable hook for loom harness



Oct. 27, 1959 I B. HAYDEN ADJUSTABLE HOOK FOR- LOOM HARNESS Filed D90. 12, 1957 United States Patent ADJUSTABLE HOOK FOR LOOM HARNESS Boyd Hayden, Newtonville, Mass.

Application December 12, 1957, Serial NO. 702,382

4 Claims. (Cl. 139-88) This invention relates to an adjustable fastening device for attaching an end of a dobby cord to a harness frame in a loom. Looms operated by power are equipped with a number of harness frames which are raisedand lowered according to a predetermined plan to change the shed and hus to form the desired pattern in the Weave. The frames are attached to dobby cords by which they are connected to mechanisms for raising and lowering them. Since in- 'tlividual dobby cords may not be always of exactly the same length or may be subject to stretching at times, it is desirable that the connection between the dobby cord and the frame be adjustable so that the frame will be properly located when raised or lowered. Such attaching means may comprise an ordinary hook to hook into an eye on the end of the dobby cord or into a hole in a leather strap attached to the end of the cord. In order to avoid interference with'neighboring frames, it is desirable that the plan of the hook be maintained in the same plane as that of the frame itself. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple mechanism which is easy to manufacture and by which the hook can be adjusted up or down with respect to the frame and at the same time be maintained in the same plane with the frame. For this purpose, the shank of the hook is screw-threaded and is in threaded engagement with a nut the rotation of which moves the hook up or down relatively to the frame. According to the invention, improved locking means are provided to lock the nut against rotation when the attachment is in use. This prevents the nut from being accidentally rotated by vibration or motion of the frame. The lock is easily released when it is desired to adjust the position of the hook. For a more complete understand ing of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing of which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention, together with a fragment of a harness frame upon which the device is mounted;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same; and

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 but shows the moving parts in a different position of operation.

The device illustrated on the drawing comprises a base structure which may consist of a lower strip of metal on which is an upper strip or member 12. The end portions of the upper member 12 are welded or otherwise permanently secured to the end portions of the lower member 10. The mid portion 14 of the upper member 12 is spaced above the lower member 10 by a suflicient distance to accommodate a nut 16 and a slide 18. Between the raised portion 14 of the member 12 and the end portions thereof are two intermediate portions 20 and 22 which are spaced above the lower member 10 just far enough to accommodate the slide 18. These intermediate portions 20 and 22 have slots 24 and 26 respectively through which project an ear 28 at one end of the slide 18 and a finger piece 30 at the other end thereof.

An attachment member to engage a dobby cord (not shown) may be in the form of a book 34 having a shank 36 which is screw-threaded, but which is also provided 2,910,095 Patented Oct. 2 7, 1959 frame 40. The nut 16 is in threaded engagement with the shank 36. Either or both of the holes in the upper and lower base members 12 or 10 are non-round and are.

fitted by the cross-section of the shank 36 so that the hook is non-rotatable but is held in a definite plane, the holes being arranged so that the plane of the hook is the same as that of the frame 40. The spacing between the central portion 14 of the upper member and the slide 18 beneath it is just enough to accommodate the nut 16 but the members hold the nut from any axial movement. When therefore the nut 16 is rotated, the hook 34 is moved up or down according to the direction of the rotation.

In order to lock the nut 16 releasably against rotation, it is provided with one or more recesses such as notches 42 into which a lug 44 on the slide 18 is movable. Any desired number of recesses or notches 42 may be made in the nut 16, two such notches being formed in the nut illustrated on the drawing. The circumference of the nut is preferably but not necessarily knurled so as to facilitate manual turning thereof. When the slide 18 is moved toward the left, one of the notches 42 being in line with the lug 44, the lug moves into the notch and thus locks the nut against rotation so that the adjustment of the hook 34 is thus fixed. In order to hold the lug 44 releasably in a notch 42, a leaf spring 50 is attached to the device in such a position as to engage with the ear 28 so as to hold the slide in its retracted position to the right, as shown in Fig. 3, or in its locking position to the left, as shown in Figure 2. The spring 50 has a bend at a point 52 so that the adjacent portions of the spring slope away in such a manner that the same spring will hold the slide 18 in either position of operation, that is, the locking position or the retracted position. Furthermore, the shape of the spring 50 is preferably such that the portion 54 adjacent to the bend 52 engages the top of the ear 28 when the slide is moved sufficiently to the left to bring the lug against the surface of the nut 16 when neither of the notches 42 is in line with the lug. If then the nut is turned until a notch comes into line with the lug 44, the engagement of the sloping portion 54 of the spring 50 against the ear 28 serves to cam the slide further to the left so that the lug 44 enters the recess 42 which has been brought into line therewith. When it is desired to adjust the hook up or down, the slide 18 is shifted to its retracted position by manipulation of the finger piece 30. This withdraws the lug 44 from the nut 16, releasing the nut for rotation. The rotation of the nut on the shank of the hook causes the hook to move upward or downward according to the direction of rotation of the nut. When the nut has been rotated sufficiently for the desired adjustment of the hook 34, the nearest recess 42 is brought into line with the lug 44 and the slide 18 is shifted to the left to lock the nut against further rotation. The hook therefore can be easily and quickly adjusted up or down but when in any position of adjustment can not be inadvertently moved up or down by vibration of the mechanism.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a base structure adapted to be secured to a harness frame, an attachment member having a screw-threaded shank slidably and non-rotatably extending through said structure, a rotatable nut screw-threaded on said shank, portions of said structure being arranged as stop elements to hold said nut against axial movement, a locking member carried by said structure and movable between a position of engagement with said nut wherein it locks the nut against rotation and a position of disengagement, and spring means releasably maintaining said locking member in either of its said positions.

2. A device oftheclassdescribed comprising a base structure having a horizontal lower member and an upper member with a portion spaced above the lower member, said members having aligned holes therethrough at-least one of whichholes is'non'round, an attachment member having a. screw-threaded non-round shank fitted in said holes and non-rotatably slidable therethrough, a nut threaded on said shank between said lower and upper members, said nut having arecess in its;periphery, -a slide having a lug movable into and out of said'recess to preventrotation of said nut when engaged insaid recess, and spring means on said base engageable by said slide to hold the slide releasably-in either of two positions in which said 'lug is engaged in or disengaged from said recess.

3. A device of the class described comprising a base structure consisting of a horizontal elongated lower member and an upper member superposed thereon, said upper member having a central portion spaced above said lower member, a nut fitted between said spaced portions, a vertical support member having a screw-threaded, non-round shank extending non-rotatably through said upper and lower members and in threaded engagement with said nut, a slide between said upper and lower members having a lug and an ear, said slide being movable between a position in which said lug engages said nut to lock it against rotation and a position in which said lug is clear of said nut, and a spring on said structure engageable by said ear to hold said slide releasably in either of said positions.

4. A device of the class described comprising a base structure consisting of a-horizontal lower rigid strip and a superposed rigid upper strip, the central portions of said strips being-verticallyspaced, said members having aligned holes through said central portions, a hook having a screw-threaded shank with a flat side extending slidably through said holes and 'non-rotatably fitted in one of them, a nut between said central portions of the strips in threaded engagement with said shank, said nut having a notch in its periphery, a slide under said nut having a lug movable into and out of said notch, said slide also having an ear, and a spring carried by saidstrueture and arranged to engage said ear to hold said slide releasably in either of its positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,601,872. Kaufmann July 1, 1952 2,659,394 Kantmann NOV. 17, .1953 2,676,619 Consoletti Apr-L27, 1954 

